Cabinet construction

ABSTRACT

A cabinet front assembly made of plastic or wood frame sections capable of being aligned and secured to each other without dowels to accommodate different installational requirements. Forwardly projecting flanges on parallel spaced toe plate and cleat are slidingly received in parallel grooves formed in the rear faces of bottom and top rails of one or more adjustably positioned frames having vertical side rails with aligned notches to receive shelf supports.

United States Patent Inventor Joseph S. Moore, Jr.

Ackerman, Mass. pp 1 515 7 Filed Sept. 11, 1970 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Assignee U.S. Industris, Inc.

CABINET CONSTRUCTION 10 Claims, 1 1 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl ..3l2/257 SK, 108/111, l08/153,211/148 Int. Cl A47b 43/00 Field of Search 312/108, 111, 257 R, 257 SK, 257 SM, 257 A; 21 l/l48; 108/109, 1 l l [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,437,665 3/1948 Rose 312/108 X 3,063,768 11/1962 Moore 312/111 Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell Attorneys-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A cabinet front assembly made of plastic or wood frame sections capable of being aligned and secured to each other without dowels to accommodate difi'erent installational requirements. Forwardly projecting flanges on parallel spaced toe plate and cleat are slidingly received in parallel I grooves formed in the rear faces of bottom and top rails of one or more adjustably positioned frames having vertical side rails with aligned notches to receive shelf supports.

PATENTEDum 1219?: Y ,512,53

v sum 2 OF 3 Joseph 5. Moore, Jr:

WW EM PATENTEDUET 12 [an SHEU 3 [IF 3 Fig.8

Joseph S. Moore, Jr.

m' and CABINET CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to a precut or preformed cabinet construction and more particularly to the front frame unit as sociated with such cabinet construction.

The present invention represents an improvement over the construction disclosed in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,063,768. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a cabinet front unit assembly capable of being assembled in accordance with a desired cabinet installation without the use of dowel connectors and utilizing an improved method of alignment and attachment.

In accordance with the present invention, the cabinet front frame unit is formed from adjustably positioned rectangular frames on which cabinet doors are hingedly supported as disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. aforementioned, the frames being interconnected with the base and top of the cabinet by means of an elongated toe plate and upper cleat disposed in vertically spaced relationship to each other. The toe plate and cleat are provided with forwardly extending flanges'slidingly received in parallel grooves fonned in the rear faces of the bottom and top rails associated with each of the rectangular frames which also have vertical side rails provided with aligned notches adapted to receive shelf supports. The rails of the rectangular frames and the toe plate and cleat are cut to desired lengths from standard sections made of wood or plastic. The top and bottom rails are interchangeable and provided with parallel grooves one of which slidingly receives the flange on the toe plate while the other one receives the flange on the cleat.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a typical cabinet front frame assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention from wood sections corresponding to the construction shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the frames associated with the assembly shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the cleat utilized in the assembly shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of disassembled portions of a front unit frame assembly made of plastic sections.

FIG. 9 is a partial side sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing plastic frame sections corresponding to those illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the frame sections made of plastic.

FIG. 1 l is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the use of a plastic frame section.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. I, a kitchen-type of cabinet generally denoted by reference numeral 10 is shown including a base 12 resting on the floor, a cabinet top 14 and a set of double doors 16 that are hingedly supported on the cabinet front frame assembly extending vertically between the base 12 and the cabinet top 14. An end panel 18 is also shown associated with the cabinet assembly 10 closing one exposed end of the cabinet. It will of course be appreciated that other cabinet designs may be constructed in accordance with the present invention wherein single doors and drawers may be provided on the front of the cabinet.

FIG. 5 illustrates the front frame assembly associated with a typical cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention which includes as part of the base, an elongated toe plate 20 having a forwardly projecting flange 22 along its upper edge. The toe plate 20 in the illustrated embodiment is made of wood and is cut to a desired length corresponding to the horizontal dimension of the cabinet front. Vertically spaced above the toe plate 20 in parallel relation thereto, is an upper cleat 24 also made of wood and having a forwardly projecting flange 26 along its bottom edge. The cleat 24 and toe plate 20 are fixedly spaced from each other by a plurality of rectangular frames 28. The cabinet doors l6 aforementioned in connection with FIG. 1 are hingedly supported on the frames as disclosed in my prior US. patent aforementioned. Further, a plurality of such frames are adjustably positioned on the toe plate 20 and cleat 24 either abutting each other for support of double doors as shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 5 or separately positioned for support of a single door or drawers. The forward face of the frames 28 as shown in FIG. 5, are coincident with a common vertical plane for mounting of the doors and front panels between the doors flush with each other.

As more clearly seen in FIG. 6, each rectangular frame 28 consists of vertically spaced, parallel end rails such as the bottom rail 30 and top rail 32 interconnected by a pair of vertical side rails 34. The end rails 30 and 32 are interchangeable as are the side rails. Each end rail is formed on its rear face with parallel grooves 36 that are horizontally continued across the rear face of the frame by aligned grooves 38 in the upper and lower end portions of the side rails 34. The side rails are also provided on their rear faces with aligned notches 40 adapted to receive shelf support rails 42 as shown in FIG. 5. The side rails are also provided on their rear faces with vertical, panel receiving recesses 44. I

Referring now to FIGS. 2,3 and 4 in particular, the openings defined by the rectangular frames 28 are closed by the cabinet doors l6 closely spaced from the common plane within which the front faces of the rectangular frames lie. The rectangular frames as shown are supported between the toe plate 20 forming the base and the top cleat 24 on which the cabinet top rests and to which it is secured. The forwardly projecting flange 22 of the toe plate 20 is received in the outer groove 36 of the bottom rail 30 and supports on its upper edge, the bottom panel 46 within the cabinet. The forwardly extending flange on the cleat 24 on the other hand is received in the inner groove of the top rail 32 which has an upper edge 48 flush with the upper edge 50 of the cleat so as to form a good supporting surface for the cabinet top 14. The shelf supports 42 are received in the aligned notches 40 of the side rails and have upper edges to support shelves 52 as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 through II, the same type of cabinet construction is shown including the cabinet top 14, doors l6 hingedly supported on the rectangular frames 28', an end panel 18, a bottom panel 46 and shelves 52. The rectangular frames 28, however, are formed from a suitable plastic material including side rail portions 34' having notch formations 40' and a vertical, panel receiving recess 44. Each frame 28' is also provided with top and bottom end rail portions 54 having an outer edge surface 56. An elongated outer slot 58 is formed within each end rail portion 56 adjacent the edge surface 56 terminated by a wall 60 at the recess 44' in the side rail portions. Adjacent the inside edge of the end rail portions 54, inner groove formations 62 are formed. The inside groove formations 62 are adapted to receive the projecting flange portions 64 on a plastic cleat member 66 having an upper edge surface 68 adapted to be flush with the edge surface 56 on the top rail portion 56. The outer groove or slot formation 58 on the bottom rail portion is adapted to slidingly receive the forwardly projecting flange formation 70 along the upper edge portion of the plastic toe plate 72. The toe plate 72 as shown in FIG. 9, is tubular in cross section. Also, plastic shelf supports 74 are tubular in cross section and are provided with forwardly extending portions 76 adapted to be received in the aligned notches 40' in the side rail portions 34'.

It will be apparent that the front cabinet frame assembly may be assembled from standard section parts consisting of the rectangular frames, the toe plate, cleat and shelf supports.

The frames also are formed from standard parts interfltting with the toe plate and cleat in accordance with any desired installational arrangement. Further, it will be apparent that the frame sections while being made of wood will also be suitable for construction from plastic and do not require any dowels for alignment and attachment purposes.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. in a cabinet assembly, an elongated toe plate having a forwardly projecting top flange, an elongated cleat having a forwardly projecting bottom flange, at least one frame having a rear face in engagement with the toe plate and the cleat vertically spacing the same, at least one shelf support carried on the rear face of the frame between the toe plate and the cleat, said frame including a pair of side rails formed with aligned notches slidable receiving the shelf support and a pair of end rails interconnecting the side rails, each of said end rails being formed with a pair of parallel grooves slidably receiving the flange of the toe plate or the cleat.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said end rails includes an outer edge surface flush with an upper edge surface of the cleat when the flange thereof is received in one of the parallel grooves, the other of the grooves adapted to receive the flange of the toe plate.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said side rails is formed with a vertical recess in the rear face adapted to receive an end panel of the cabinet assembly.

4. The combination of claim 3 including a top panel supported on the flush edge surfaces of the cleat and the end rail overhanging the end rail, and a closure panel mounted on one of the side rails.

5. The combination of claim 2 including a top panel supported on the flush edge surfaces of the cleat and the end rail overhanging the end rail, and a closure panel mounted on one of the side rails. I

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said side rails is formed with a vertical recess in the rear face adapted to receive an end panel of the cabinet assembly.

7. In a cabinet assembly, an elongated toe plate having a forwardly projecting top flange, an elongated cleat having a forwardly projecting bottom flange, at least one frame having a rear face in engagement with the toe plate and the cleat vertically spacing the same, said frame including a pair of side rails and a pair of end rails interconnecting the side rails, each of said end rails being formed with a pair of parallel grooves slidably receiving the flange of the toe plate or the cleat and a top panel supported on the upper one of the end rails and the cleat.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein each of said end rails includes an outer edge surface flush with an upper edge surface of the cleat when the flange thereof is received in one of the parallel grooves, the other of the grooves adapted to receive the flange of the toe plate.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein each of said side rails includes a vertical panel receiving recess in the rear face thereof.

10. The combination of claim 7 wherein each of said side rails includes a vertical panel receiving recess in the rear face thereof. 

1. In a cabinet assembly, an elongated toe plate having a forwardly projecting top flange, an elongated cleat having a forwardly projecting bottom flange, at least one frame having a rear face in engagement with the toe plate and the cleat vertically spacing the same, at least one shelf support carried on the rear face of the frame between the toe plate and the cleat, said frame including a pair of side rails formed with aligned notches slidable receiving the shelf support and a pair of end rails interconnecting the side rails, each of said end rails being formed with a pair of parallel grooves slidably receiving the flange of the toe plate or the cleat.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said end rails includes an outer edge surface flush with an upper edge surface of the cleat when the flange thereof is received in one of the parallel grooves, the other of the grooves adapted to receive the flange of the toe plate.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said side rails is formed with a vertical recess in the rear face adapted to receive an end panel of the cabinet assembly.
 4. The combination of claim 3 including a top panel supported on the flush edge surfaces of the cleat and the end rail overhanging the end rail, and a closure panel mounted on one of the side rails.
 5. The combination of claim 2 including a top panel supported on the flush edge surfaces of the cleat and the end rail overhanging the end rail, and a closure panel mounted on one of the side rails.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said side rails is formed With a vertical recess in the rear face adapted to receive an end panel of the cabinet assembly.
 7. In a cabinet assembly, an elongated toe plate having a forwardly projecting top flange, an elongated cleat having a forwardly projecting bottom flange, at least one frame having a rear face in engagement with the toe plate and the cleat vertically spacing the same, said frame including a pair of side rails and a pair of end rails interconnecting the side rails, each of said end rails being formed with a pair of parallel grooves slidably receiving the flange of the toe plate or the cleat and a top panel supported on the upper one of the end rails and the cleat.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein each of said end rails includes an outer edge surface flush with an upper edge surface of the cleat when the flange thereof is received in one of the parallel grooves, the other of the grooves adapted to receive the flange of the toe plate.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein each of said side rails includes a vertical panel receiving recess in the rear face thereof.
 10. The combination of claim 7 wherein each of said side rails includes a vertical panel receiving recess in the rear face thereof. 